The federal government plans to open Canada’s borders to fully vaccinated travelers from all countries by early September.
U.S. citizens and residents who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 could be allowed in for non-essential travel as early as mid-August. The federal government is expected to share more details on its plans for the border in coming weeks.
The Canadian government has barred many travelers, including tourists, from entering the country since the pandemic began in March 2020. Trudeau’s insistence on maintaining travel restrictions along the U.S.-Canada border has resulted in criticism from business leaders and U.S. lawmakers.
In a recent survey by the Angus Reid Institute, 69% of respondents said they want the travel ban to remain in place until 75% of Canadians are fully vaccinated. About half said the prime minister was doing a good job handling the pandemic.
Canada will soon reach the point where the majority of its residents are fully vaccinated. So far, 69% of Canadians have received at least one dose and 47% are fully vaccinated, according to data from Health Canada. In the U.S., about 56% have received at least one dose and 48% are fully vaccinated.
Businesses have been pushing for Trudeau to allow fully vaccinated U.S. travelers before the summer is over in an effort to avoid a second lost summer tourist season.